


An Eternal Now

by orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe- non magic, Alternate Universe-Modern Setting, Chef!Remus, First Kiss, Hipsters, HoH Remus, M/M, Pining, Rude boys, Server!Sirius, hard of hearing character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-12
Updated: 2015-11-12
Packaged: 2018-05-01 05:54:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5194643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I can’t be sure if that’s the worst or best thing I’ve heard yet,” Remus said, a tiny smirk playing at his lips.  “But I suppose I see what you mean.”  He paused and then said, “I can’t believe you just blurted that out though.”</p>
<p>“Blurted what out?” Sirius demanded.</p>
<p>“You.  Fancying me.”</p>
<p>“Well, should I have attempted to seduce you with a poorly worded bible paper on the allegories of gay sex in ancient texts?”</p>
<p>Remus threw his head back and full-body laughed.  “Oh my god, no.  I just…well…If you’d said sooner, maybe we wouldn’t have taken this long to have a pint.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Eternal Now

**Author's Note:**

  * For [remuswannadosirius](https://archiveofourown.org/users/remuswannadosirius/gifts).



> Written for remuswannadosirius' prompt: could you do like a restaurant au? I have this very vivid idea of sirius getting a job at James' café and there's this really talented chef there (who's also called Remus) and he has a hearing disability but almost never uses his hearing aid because he doesn't wanna talk to people and he's kinda rude but mostly just sassy and he rides a bike that's too small to work and sometimes he forgets to take of his helmet and sirius is just so in love???
> 
> So I'm not sure this was at all what you wanted, but hopefully it's close? I've been a bit loopy on meds after a short stay in hospital so I'm nervous this is complete crap, but I wanted to post something because it was taking ages. Still, I hope you like it. xx

Sirius strolled into the café ten minutes late. Lily was behind the counter, looking irritated as usual as was her current state with a baby growing in her uterus. That and she’d been kept longer because Sirius had to spent far too much time on his hair in order to make it look like he spent no time at all.

He’d been working there for two months now, as the café had been open two months. Stag and Doe, it was called. James’ venture, and he was using the inheritance his parents’ left him when they’d passed the year before.

Sirius, still finishing up his degree, didn’t need the job, per se, but was happy to help out. Not that he was any good at it really. He was shit with customers and even worse with most of the staff—especially the ones he didn’t know. In truth, it was Lily and on the occasion Frank who worked as one of the cooks who could stand him, and that was it.

Although there was Remus. The funny little hipster with his big nose, and face full of freckles, and dark tawny curls just all over his head. He was the sort of rude boy Sirius couldn’t get enough of. He swore more than he used any proper English, and he was Hard of Hearing and refused to wear his hearing aids most of the time because he was sick of listening to restaurant gossip.

Or so he said, and Sirius had no room to question him.

Sirius didn’t know much about him. Only that he was much taller, had a little bit of an accent, could always be found out back smoking and reading a book in Hebrew—really, Sirius had nicked it from his pocket once and tried to decipher it—but failed miserably, and didn’t seem to like people in general.

James loved him, though Sirius was never sure if James loved him for the fact that most people found him insufferable, or that he could create bloody magic in the kitchen. The intent was to set up a little café, just coffee and tea drinks and maybe sandwiches and pastry. Then Remus had come along with these ideas and this food and this _menu_ , and James thought he was the best fucking thing that ever happened to him.

Sirius would have been jealous if Remus hadn’t been so pleasing to look at.

Maybe it was the way he bit his lip when he cooked, Sirius wondered. Or the way he was always running his hands into his curls when he was trying to come up with the week’s specials. Or the absolute look of anticipation on his face when he asked the servers to try his latest concoction—sort of like he knew it was going to be bloody brilliant but he wanted that _confirmation_ that he was a sodding food genius.

Honestly Sirius could never really be sure, but he’d waste hours and hours peering through the window to the kitchen and watching him work magic at the burners. And there was a small thrill he got when one of the tables would say, “Oh please send my compliments to the chef,” and Sirius got to be the one who did it.

He always did it on paper. Scribbling a little note—‘Table ten says this was the best halibut she’s ever put in her mouth. Guess she’s never had _my_ halibut, but that’s neither here nor there.’ Mostly because when he laced these little things with his ridiculous innuendo, Remus would snort and roll his eyes, but give Sirius such a fond little smile.

And Sirius swore that even if he finished his degree and was offered some high-paying, amazing journalist job he’d just stay here at Stag and Doe with James and Lily and their impending sprog and _Remus_ so long as he continued to make magic with those hands.

“Pull this shit again and I’m going to sack you,” Lily hissed at him as he tied his apron round his middle.

“You won’t,” Sirius said. “You love me too much.”

“This child, this thing your best mate created to torment me,” Lily said, her voice low and dangerous, “has been using my bladder as a fucking trampoline for the last hour. I’ve gone to the toilet nine times in the last twenty minutes.” She took one look at his face and Sirius swore if she could set fire with her eyes, she would have. “Laugh and I will carve out your tongue, Sirius Black.”

Reaching out, he pulled her in for a kiss on the cheek. “Go home, love. I’ll make it up to you. Take your whole shift tomorrow.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You’re offering to work a double shift?”

“My godchild is tormenting you. Seems only fair.” He gave her cheek a fond pat, then couldn’t help himself, glancing through the kitchen window.

Lily rolled her eyes. “You just want more time to oogle the chef, you fucking pervert. Why don’t you just ask him out?”

“Because,” Sirius said. “That’s not…I mean…it’s not how it works, is it?”

“With normal people it does. Hell James spent three years asking me out before I said yes.”

“Oh yes, I can’t wait to have a repeat of that nightmare,” Sirius drawled. “Thank you Lily, but I know what I’m doing.”

“No you don’t. You’re an idiot. But I love you. Now get to work or I’ll tell James you were late.”

“He’ll forgive me,” Sirius said in a sing-song voice as she collected her bag.

Lily gave him a withering glower before she was off. When the door shut, Sirius let out a somewhat satisfied noise as he leant back and again glanced through the window. Remus was at the counter chopping something with such rapid fluidity, it sent shivers down Sirius’ spine. He glanced round, saw there was no one in sight, and slipped through the doors.

It took Remus several moments to notice Sirius standing there, and he rewarded the shorter man with that tiny grin—the one where it looked like his face was trying to fight off a smile, but couldn’t.

Sirius laughed when he saw Remus still had his bike helmet perched on his head, and he stepped round the counter. His hands closed over the straps and he lifted it up. Blinking in surprise, Remus looked at him, his mouth a small ‘o’, then shrugged and went back to what he was doing.

An onion, as it was, being julienned on the table and within seconds, Sirius’ eyes were pouring tears. “Bloody fuck, how do you stand that?”

Remus glanced up, then laughed. “I have my ways.”

“You must be evil inside. Dastardly and evil.” Sirius stepped back, swiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. “Fuck I can’t see anything.”

Remus was openly laughing now. “Go wash your hands. Then stick your face by that candle over there.” Remus jutted his chin toward the counter with a small, lit candle.

Sirius frowned, but did as he was told. He scrubbed for a second at his fingers, then as he rinsed, splashed water in his eyes. It didn’t help at all, but he used a kitchen towel to swipe the moisture off his face, then wandered to the candle. The scent of onions was less, and within a minute, the tearing had stopped.

“Oh shit. Is this like some of your weird, Hebrew magic?”

Remus looked up, then frowned. “Not got my aids in. What did you say?”

Sirius took the candle with him back to the cutting board, and kept it close by. “Hebrew magic?”

Remus snorted. “There’s no such thing.”

“Well it’s a brilliant trick.”

“Learnt it when I was training at this very fancy hotel. Bit necessary when you’ve got loads of onions to chop and you can’t be stood at the cooker with tears pouring down your face.” Remus smiled again. “The only tear seasoning you should use is the tears of your enemies. Those give you strength.”

Sirius blinked, then barked a laugh. “Evil. Dastardly.”

“You like it,” Remus challenged.

Sirius’ entire body went hot. “How would you know?”

There was a small light above the door which flashed, indicating the café door had opened. “Customer,” Remus said.

“Thanks, Sherlock, I never would have noticed.” Sirius winked at him, then flounced through the doors to greet the patrons for the day.

*** 

Closing up, Sirius took his time and when he glanced back through the kitchen window, he told himself not to be overly disappointed to see all the lights out. He locked up the front, set the alarm, and slid out the employee door leading to the side alley.

He started away when he heard a small noise, and turned to see Remus leant against the wall, one foot up on the pedal of his bike. He had a cigarette clenched between his teeth, one mitten on, a beanie pulled over his wild curls, and his chef’s jacket was unbuttoned, laying open over a black t-shirt with bold, white letters reading ‘HUGS NOT DRUGS.’

“Got a spare?” Sirius asked as he crept closer.

Remus reached into his pocket and tossed the pack of cigarettes at him. Sirius pulled one out and stuck it between his teeth. Before Remus could fumble for a light, Sirius took him by the shoulders and mashed the end of his cigarette up to Remus’. Sucking slowly, he saw the cherry flare as it caught, and he stepped back, a small grin curving his mouth up.

“Good night, yeah?”

Remus shrugged. He reached into his pockets and Sirius saw a flash of silver. Moving his beanie back, Remus slipped on his hearing aids, adjusted them, and switched them on. He pulled the beanie back down and leant back against the wall again. “Can’t read your lips for shit out here.”

“Ah.”

Sirius settled in next to him. “Your bike is small.”

“So are you,” Remus fired back.

“Rude.”

Remus snorted. “Not the first time I’ve been accused of being so.”

Sirius nudged him with his elbow. “Come get a drink with me. Or a curry. Or some fucking chips. Or we can raid the produce at Tesco’s and have an apple fight in the alley.”

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Remus asked, but all the while he was locking his bicycle back up to the post near the door. 

Sirius took that as a good sign, and Remus followed him down the street to the local. Being that it was late and a Wednesday night, there weren’t a lot of people in. But the pair got friendly smiles as they slid up to a table and eventually had a basket of chips with curry sauce, and a couple of pints between them.

“My treat,” Sirius said when Remus fumbled for a few notes.

Remus stared at him, then shrugged. “Doesn’t make this a date, you know.”

Trying not to wince, Sirius went for a casual shrug. “Who says I want to date you?”

Remus laughed again, burying the sound in the sleeve of his chef’s coat he was still wearing. “I can see you watching me, you know. You’re obvious.”

“Well subtly has never been interesting,” Sirius defended. “I’m pretty enough, don’t you think?”

Remus stared at him, then gave him a very determined nod. “You’re really fucking pretty, Sirius.”

His whole body went flushed. “So? You want to date me?”

Remus blinked his long, gorgeous eyelashes. “Dunno. How about blow me in the alley and I’ll see if you’re worth my time.”

It so happened Sirius had been taking a drink, and choked so hard on it, he saw spots. “Jesus shitting Christ, Lupin! Warn a bloke.” He then looked at Remus who was laughing so hard, he wasn’t making any sound. “Oh fuck me, you’re joking.”

“Of course I’m joking,” Remus said between giggles. “Oh my god you thought I really wanted you to suck my cock in the alley?”

“Well. I mean…I’ve done worse,” Sirius said with a shrug.

Remus’ giggles died off, and he leant his elbow on the table, chin in his hand. “Oh. I think I might like to hear some of these stories. I’ll even turn my aids up for it.”

Sirius swallowed thickly, then decided to be very bold. “Or you can come to mine, you know?”

Remus blinked again, very slowly. “Alright.”

“Not a joke?”

Remus grinned. “Nah.”

*** 

“James calls it butterbeer,” Sirius said as he passed over the mug to Remus. He had his own clutched in his hand, watching as the cream on top melted away.

Remus took it, eyeing it suspiciously. “I don’t do dairy.”

“Well good for you, it’s coconut cream,” Sirius said with a light shrug. He plonked down on the sofa one cushion between them. “Butterscotch flavoured, but totally vegan. James has got me well trained, you know.”

“Cheers, then.” Remus took a sip, and his eyes widened. “Oh it’s rather good.”

“I know. It’s one of my many, shining qualities.”

“Rum in this?” he asked.

“Just half a shot. Nothing untoward.”

Remus snorted again as he took a longer sip. “What other shining qualities do you have, Mr Black? Or at least give me one of your more sordid tales.”

“How about,” Sirius said, setting down his mug and reaching for one of Remus’ feet, “I give you a foot massage, and I tell you about the time I blew my prof in the supply cupboard.”

Remus choked on his swallow. “Jesus. Really?”

Sirius grinned wolfishly. “Maybe. It helps we actually dated, but doesn’t help that this happened before we became official. As it were.”

Remus didn’t put up a fight as Sirius carefully removed one of his worn converse, tossing it to the side. His socks were fuzzy fleece, though beaded on the bottom from being so well worn. The big toe had a hole over it, and Sirius found it so endearing it almost hurt.

He began to knead the ball of Remus’ foot, which elicited a low moan from the chef. “Bloody hell.”

“You’ll want to marry me after this,” Sirius warned. “Just so you know.”

Remus gave him a withering look, but leant his head back on the cushion. “So this blow job…”

“Well,” Sirius began in his most sultry voice, “it all started with a paper on bible stories…”

“Oh my god,” Remus gasped when Sirius was nearly finished.

With a giggle, Sirius motioned for Remus to give him the other foot and he made quick work of removing the shoe. “Yep. Not sure he’s ever going to forgive me for that. Honestly.”

“You fucked his boss in his office?” Remus gasped. “The head of the department?”

“No one will ever admit to it. Their jobs and reputations would be well shot. But let’s just say it was my best revenge plan of all time.”

“Well I hope he was good,” Remus said. He shifted his body so he was lying completely along the length of the sofa. His post-massaged foot was tucked into Sirius’ side, kneading small circles against Sirius’ ribs and it felt so good, Sirius thought he might melt right there into the cushions.

“He was decent. I’ve had better, but I’ve had worse. Either way, my ex couldn’t look me in the eye for months. And he couldn’t call me on it, either, which was the best part. I don’t deal with betrayal very well.”

“Clearly,” Remus said, his tone a bit dry, but he was smiling.

“So what about you, my dear? Shall we quid pro quo this bitch?”

Remus rolled his eyes. “Not a lot to tell, I’m afraid. It may be a large secret but I’m not often well liked. People tell me I can be a bit rude.”

“Shocking,” Sirius said, unable to help his grin. “But who cares. How do people resist those adorable curls and freckles?”

Remus shrugged. “Mostly they’re put off when I tell them to fuck off.”

“You haven’t told me to.”

Remus gave him a very pointed look.

“Oh,” Sirius said. “Er. Right.”

Remus smirked. “Clever you, Sirius.”

“Oh shut up.”

Remus giggled, turning his face into the sofa cushion to hide it. “So any other sordid relationships you’ve got? Something to shock me?”

Sirius paused, then said with a wide grin, “James Potter.”

Remus froze, then his face burst into a huge grin. “James Potter? Really?”

Sirius shrugged a little. “We were sixteen. He was my first.”

“I feel like I should be surprised, but I’m not.”

“Most people aren’t,” Sirius said, his smile just a little softer. “I was absolutely in love with him.”

“So what happened?”

“He fell in love with Lily. It was inevitable, really. She’s…well she’s Lily. And James and I were better off as we were now.” He let out a small sigh. “I was crushed, of course. For months. But I got over him. He was shit at giving head, too, so it worked out for me because what I love second to giving a blow job is getting one.”

There was just the slightest tinge of pink to Remus’ cheeks now. “I see.”

“So that sums up my dating history.”

Blinking slowly, Remus leant forward a bit. “Really? That’s it?”

Sirius shrugged up one shoulder as he stopped the massage and tucked Remus’ foot on his opposite side. “Fraid so. I know, you expected something more exciting. I’m a bit dull, if we’re being honest. First was James, then my professor, then the revenge fuck, and then I met you and spent the last nearly two months pining away.”

Remus sat there a bit quiet. “You never said.”

“Well I thought you noticed,” Sirius defended.

“Well you just…I just assumed. You flirt so much, you know.”

Sirius snorted a laugh. “With customers. That’s my job, you realise.”

“Your job is to get them food and drink, you absolute wanker,” Remus said, kicking him lightly again.

“Flirting makes people happy,” Sirius defended. “Even if it’s not real, they have a moment where they think, ‘This person actually cares about me. They care and they like me,’ and it makes their day. And they come back.”

“I can’t be sure if that’s the worst or best thing I’ve heard yet,” Remus said, a tiny smirk playing at his lips. “But I suppose I see what you mean.” He paused and then said, “I can’t believe you just blurted that out though.”

“Blurted what out?” Sirius demanded.

“You. Fancying me.”

“Well, should I have attempted to seduce you with a poorly worded bible paper on the allegories of gay sex in ancient texts?”

Remus threw his head back and full-body laughed. “Oh my god, no. I just…well…If you’d said sooner, maybe we wouldn’t have taken this long to have a pint. And a erm…what did you call this again?”

“Butterbeer,” Sirius said. But whatever else he might have been about to say was lost as Remus was up off the sofa, then turning his direction, creeping up along the length of Sirius’ body.

“Is this alright?”

“Bloody hell, yes,” Sirius breathed.

Remus grinned, then mashed their mouths together. Tongues tangled, Sirius’ hands coming up to draw almost frantic lines along Remus’ spine. Remus let out a low moan against Sirius’ pliant lips, and then broke away to nuzzle his cheek.

“For the record,” Remus breathed, “I’m very excellent at giving blow jobs. And I rather like having them myself.”

Sirius’ grey eyes met amber, and he couldn’t stop his wicked smirk. “Oh. Well…pleased to hear it.”

*** 

Sirius Black was in love with Remus Lupin. It was always going to be. The moment he stepped into the kitchen with his bike helmet on, and his mismatched socks, and chef’s jacket with the scorch mark on the sleeve, it was inevitable. 

The series of crooked smiles and rude gestures, and telling off people he didn’t like had done it, really. In the end.

Coming into the kitchen, Sirius came up behind Remus and pulled off the beanie, kissing along the back of his neck. He pulled Remus tight against him, his lips brushing the back of his ear. “Meet me in the walk-in in twenty.”

Remus shivered, looking back over his shoulder. “You’re going to get me sacked, you know?”

“Good. Then it’ll give you an excuse to marry me and let me turn you into a kept man. I have millions, you know? Rotting away in my bank. My hella gay uncle left me his fortune.”

“Tempting,” Remus whispered.

“I’m not wearing any pants,” Sirius muttered.

Remus thrust his hips back. “Shit.”

“Mmm, thought so. Twenty minutes, and trust me no one will find us.”

Remus groaned as Sirius pulled him tighter just for a second. “You’re going to be the death of me, you know.”

Sirius grinned and kissed his neck again. “Yeah well you love it. You love me.”

Remus let his head fall forward. “Fuck me. But yeah, I do.”

Sirius gave his arse a smack before stepping away. “Good. Because I fucking love you too.”


End file.
